Lubricating system for locomotives



May 29, 1928. -1,671,320

.w. J. SCHLACKS LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed March 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 29, 1928. 1,671,320

- w. J. SCHLACKS LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR LOCO MOTIVES Filed March 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. W/Lu/m J SCH/.fiC/IS.

May: 29, 1928.

w. J. SCHLACKS LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed March 1923 4 Sheets$heet 4 INVE/V T017.

.Y. m MI cu 5. JM% Wm f m x Patented May 29, 1928.

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WILLIAM J; SCI'ILACKS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO LDCOMOTIVE LUBRICATQR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CQRBQRATION OF DELAWARE.

, nunnrcn'rme sYsrEMFon oooivrorrvns.

Application filed March 2,1923. Serial No. 622,398.

This invention relates to lubrication and ispreferably directed to the eiiicient. lubrication of locomotive cylinders and valve chambers. In the lubrication of these parts, as heretofore practiced, the oil is forced by the hydrostatic'or force feed systems into the steam inlet pipe which supplies steam to the valve chambers and cylinders, the oil beingcarried into the parts by the current of steam; lVith such practice, when the engine is drifting, thereis no means for conveying the oil from the said steam pipe to the cylinders as the supply of steam is then shut 0H. This has resulted in inefiicient. lubrication on mountain railroads where a great deal of drifting is done and has also caused trouble when the enginemen shut off steam for a consider- It is a further object of the invention to provide pressure control valves delivering to both the inlet steam pipe. and the cylin dcr, which valves are so controlled that when the steam supplygin the cylinders is shut off, or the steam in the steam inlet pipe or cylinders drops below a certain pressure, the valve delivering to the cylinder will begin to function, the valve at othertimes remaining inoperative and the valve in the steam inlet pipe being operative.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide valves, as above specified, which have pressure controlled means for closing and opening the same, the valve delivering'to the inlet steam pipe having a conduit leading thereto from the oil supply means anda conduit leading therefrom beneath the pressure means, the latter conduit being connected to the valve delivering to the cylinder below the pressure means therein and to further provide a conduit leading from the-steam inlet pipe or theend of the cylinder to the valve delivering to the cylinder, which conduit is connected to the latter valve above the pressure means therein.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connec tion with the accompanying drawings in which like reference charactersrefer to the same parts throughout the. different views andin which, y n

Fig. l is a view in front elevation offa portion of a locomotive showing the cylinder saddle, the steam .inlet pipes and cylinders with the device of the inventionapplied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation of the front portion of the locomotiveshowing the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 3' is a. vertical section of the check valve used in'the steam inlet pipe;

check valve used in the cylinder, saidvalves being shown on an enlarged scale;-

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification;v and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification. v

The lubricating system illustrated is known as the Schlacks force feed lubrication and this systemuses an oil pump for delivering oil, such as shown in Patent No. 822,684,- granted to John F. Mc-Canna, of date, June 5th, 1906.

In this system also the oil is forced into the steam containing portions through pressure controlled check valves.

Referring to the drawings, a portion of a locomotive is; shown comprising the cylinder'saddle 1 having thereinthe cylinders 2 to which deliver the steam inlet pipes 3. While the pipes 3 lead from the boilerthe pressure in said pipes is determinedby the throttle (not shown) interposed in said pipes. It may be mentioned that the type of locomotive shown isa simple type in 'which the valvechambers ,4 are disposed pump 10-is of the: type comprisingaplurality of high pressure plungers which dehver the oil to the conduits 12, which con- Fig. 4; is a vertical section through the 24thraded into the bgttom ofthfispring permit oil to pass through thewnel'rixber 33 segltj23, mgmbers 24 21116128 thus centrally into the cylinder. Whenmhe locomotive clamping pregsuge running; under steim,i theqmjr ditions wan 1m the thewnginm @hutmmfi indem and the, locomotive drifts, the 175 U mam inqh; pyemure 0n the top pihmgm" 7 ra rim ed lezwing' [e1 inw J 11.; :Y W b 1 top of the pm 313 8121 sa being take a pressure in excegsn'f 850 pounds to heldfm place and guided by the member lift the diaphragm anwoperrvnh'e to ewteamwte thc cyl pressure to overcome on the valve 15, this to valves 15.

valvewill be open and the valve 13 requiring 225 pounds pressurewill remain closed, the oil, of course, taking the path of least resistance. When the locomotive is drifting, therefore, the oil will simply by-pass through the valves 13 and will be delivered It will, of course, be understood, that the pressure of the springs on the diaphragms of the valves 13 and'15 will be adjusted in accordance with the steam pressure used, the figures given above being suitable for the assumed 174- pounds per square ,inch steam pressure. I

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6', the valves 13 and 15 are placed in the steam pipe 3 and the cylinder 2 just as in the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the valve 13 has communicating therewith below thepressure element therein the conduit 12 leading to-the oil pressure meansflO. The conduit 14' also leads from the oil supply conduit as through the valve 13 below the pressure element therein, to the valve 15 below the pressure element in the latter. Instead, however, of having the conduit 16 leading to the steam pipe 3 from the valve 15 a conduit 50 leads from the valve 15 above the pressure element therein to the rear end of the cylinder 2.; With the oil pump shown, the pressure plungers thereof operate only on the clockwise stroke of the operating arm 9, the pump being operated by a ratchet so that the pump is only operated when the piston moves from the back end of the cylinder to the front end thereof.

VVith-the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, assuming 17 5 pounds pressure of steam used in the locomotive, the valve 13 will be adjusted to release at 225 pounds pressure per square inch and the valve 15'will be adjusted to release at 7 5 pounds pressure per square inch. Now when the steam is first admitted to the cylinder 2 and before the valve cuts off the steam there will be a pressure of approximately 17 5 pounds in the end of said cylinder. This pressure will be added to the 7 5 pounds pressure already on the valve 15 owing to the conduit 50 so that said valve will have thereon a total pressure of 250 pounds. During the first portion of the stroke of the piston therefore and the corresponding stroke of the pump plungers, the oil will be discharged into the steam inlet pipe 3 from the valve 13 which will open at 225 pounds. After the steam is cut off in the steam cylinder 2 the same will expand and the pressure therein will fall. When the pressure in the. cylinder falls below 150 pounds, the pressure on the valve 15 will be less than'the pressure on the valve 13 and theoil forced through the conduit 12 .will thus bypass the valve '13 and go through the conduit 14 and into the cylinder through the valve 15. Thus on one stroke of the piston, oil is discharged into both the steam pipe 3 and the cylinder 2. This operation occurs when the engine is running with steam. When the steam is shut off by the throttle and the locomotive is drifting all of the oil will be injected into the cylinder 2 through the valve 15 in theembodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and eflicient'means by which the cylinders will be very efficiently lubricated While the locomotive is drifting and no steam is being supplied to the cylinders. The invention requires but very little change in the standard locomotive system and but a small modification in the check valves for pressure valves used. It will be noted that with. the figures given in the above illustration, the valves 13 will cease delivering oil into. the steam pipe whenever the pressure therein is less than 50 pounds persquare inch. The

action of the device is entirely automatic and the oil is eiiiciently distributed both when the locomotive is running under steam and when the same is drifting.

It will, of course, beunderstood that various changes may be made in the form,

details and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in the matter shown and described-and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: i

1-. In combination with a locomotive cylinder and a steam inlet pipe to said cylinder, a conduit for oil under pressure, normally seated valves controlling the delivery of oil from said conduit tothe inlet pipe and cylinder respectively, mechanical means for holding said valves seated differentially ad justed as to pressure so that the valve admitting oil to the cylinder will open at less pressure than the valve admitting oil to the inlet pipe and steam actuated means capable of being connected to the inlet pipe acting.

under full steam pressure to hold the cylinder valve to its seat with greater pressure than that acting to seat the inlet pipe valve.

2. The combination with the cylinder of a locomotive and the steam inlet pipe thereof,

of a pressure controlled valve communicating with said inlet pipe and a pressure controlled valve communicating with said cylinder, means for delivering oil under pressure, an oil conduit leading therefrom to said first mentioned valve, a conduit leading from said first mentioned valve to said second menthereon resisting opening oi said valve, said first mentioned: valve being set to open at essur at which ,WhQTTtlTG team is above a certain valves being difierentiallyadjusted inac cordanee with the steam pressure whereby pressu valve having a spring pressed diaphragm tending to hold it in closed position, a check valve having aspiring pressed diaphragm connected with said cylinder, means for delivering oil under, pres lire, an l ""s 0 salt neeted to the diaphrag and a steam conduit leading from said steam inlet pipe 'to said second mentioned valve and connected thereto above the diaphragm therein, said valves being differentially adjusted in accordance with the steam pressure. 4. The combination with the cylinder of a locomotive and steam inlet'flpipe thereof, oi?

i a check valve in:andcommunicating with saidsteaminlet pipe, said valvehaving a diaphragm therein and a pressure spring above the diaphragm tending to hold the valve in closed position, a check valve connected to and delivering to said cylinder, said valve having a diaphragm therein and a pressure spring above the diaphragm tend ing to hold the valve in closed position, s for deliveringoil under ipr ssure to i i beneat i aphragm; ti ive nd .del ver 0 said ip e, d N el? locomo i]. condu t v H v y a tojtjhe latter] beneath the diaphragm theleoi, a conduit live an; thereto, a valve communicating with said cylinder having a pressure means therein, a valvecommunicating with said steam in let passage-and having a pressure 'means thereinrsaidvalves being differentially ad i ice are. a, Moi, tic lulllCLtlng with s below the pressure means therein, and a nhinl passa e;

conduit connected to said first mentioned valve above the pressure means therein and communicating with a source of steam pressure of the locomotive. a

6. The combination with the cylinder'and steam inlet pipe of a locomotive, ofa pressure valve communicating with said steam inlet pipe, a pressure valve communicating withsaid cylinder, means for supplying oil under pressure, conduits connecting said means, valves and cylinder, said valve being differentially adjusted whereby under a certain pressure the valve in thesteam inlet pipe will open and oil will be supplied therethrough into said pipe, and under a redueed pressure the valve in the cylinder will open ilve i lam inlet pipes.

" l cy wher ii my signature. WILLIAM J; SCHLACKS.

so i 

